The Salvation Army

Thursday, May 3, 2012

I went into the Summit Park
Leadership not really knowing what to expect, but as the year has progress I
have learned many wonderful things not only about volunteering but also about
myself.I figured it would be hard
to fit volunteering into my crazy schedule already, but I would definitely say
that volunteering was a time that I cherished.Every Wednesday, I could go to the Salvation Army to work in
the Food Pantry and it would help me get my mind off school for a few
hours.I believe that volunteering
this entire year has helped me learn to manage my time better as well as
improved my teamwork skills.

Our service project was a
campus wide clothing drive.We
raised over 1,000 items to donate to the Salvation Army Thrift Store.I know as a group we were not expecting
this clothing drive to be as successful, but we are so grateful for helping out
the Springfield Community.Many
students, faculty, and staff contributed to the amount we raised and we
couldn’t have done it without our Drury University Community like atmosphere.

I have definitely changed as
both a leader and person through the Summit experience.I have learned the importance of
volunteering and how much it means to those in need.They really do appreciate all the help and time we give.Also, I have learned that nonprofit
organizations really do appreciate their volunteers.I have learned to be more thankful for the chances and opportunities
that I have in my life.I know
that sometimes I think that my life gets difficult at times, but really my life
could be much worse, for example like one of the families that receive free
food.I believe that it is
important when groups such as the Summit Park Community come together to
benefit those in need.Working
with a group has taught me to separate tasks within the group to get the final
job done.Overall, I believe that
Summit was a great experience for me and I am proud of our accomplishments and
changes we have made.

Today is the first Wednesday I
haven’t volunteered at the Food Pantry in a while and knowing that I am done
volunteering there for the school year makes me extremely sad.I have made many great friends through
this wonderful opportunity. I have also learned how important it is to help
others in need.It makes you feel
good that you are choosing to help others especially when distributing food. I
am so thankful for the great opportunity that I have had to get to spend the
entire year volunteering with the Salvation Army.

For one last time, Stay Classy Drury
University,

Haleigh Brown

Hello Again!

As the year is coming to an end, I have
been realizing more and more how much I look forward to going to The Salvation
Army to relieve some stress and to be able to give back to the Springfield
Community. I have also realized how much an hour and a half of my day means to
Betty (the lady in charge of the food pantry) and the other volunteers in there.
When my roommates and I go into the food pantry for a short amount of time, we
help them out tremendously and they are very thankful for us. I have
volunteered over forty hours over the course of this year and I have impacted
numerous lives throughout my time there. Recently, we held a clothing drive
that brought in over 1,000 items to donate to The Salvation Army Thrift Store.

This experience has definitely changed
me as a person and a leader. I have realized how important it is to give back
to the community and I have also become more aware of how lucky I am. I plan on
volunteering at The Salvation Army at least a few times next year and I want to
continue to volunteer somewhere for the rest of my life. I plan on expressing
how important it is to my children and hope that they will want to volunteer as
well. This experience has changed me as a leader because even though we worked
at a team, we all still had specific jobs that we were in charge of in order to
properly prepare for our clothing drive. This took a lot of time and energy
from all of us and we had to make several sacrifices for it, but in my opinion,
it was all worth it.

Even though living in Summit was a lot
of hard work (from the application to volunteering once a week) I really
enjoyed it and do not regret applying to live here. I am happy to say that I
have been a part of an incredible non-profit organization that helps several
individuals living in the Springfield Community. I am going to miss being party
of the Summit Leadership Community, but my goal is to not stop volunteering
once this year is over. I am thankful for what all I have gained from this
experience and what it is taught me.

Thanks for reading!

Mariah Fulbright

Hey All,

While looking back on my experiences while living here in Summit
Park, I am amazed at how much my group and I have accomplished.When we first started this project we
had a plan, but I was not sure exactly how much of it would actually be possible
for the four of us to complete.When I compare what we did to what we planned on, I now realize that we
went above and beyond on almost every task.Through our service project we were able to complete over 30
hours each working at the Food Pantry.I believe that we made the greatest impact on the Salvation Army by
working there.By the end of first
semester I realized just how much they relied on us to come and help them.The four of us were able to make a real
connection with Betty, the lady in charge of the food pantry, throughout the
year.We were able to develop a
system and be extremely productive for the two hours we were there.This year we also helped them out with
getting organized for their Christmas season.We were able to help them call volunteers, send out
reminders, and volunteer at their opening kick-off.Our biggest accomplishment would be our clothing drive
though.I think the success of this
project was something that none of us expected.In a little over two weeks we were able to raise 1,207 items
to give to the Salvation Army’s Thrift Store! We were able to collect a broad
range of items; from formal clothes to toys.It was a great feeling to see the donation truck full of our
items that were going to be put to good use.

I definitely have developed as a leader and a person throughout
this Summit experience.Most of my
leadership skills were developed when organizing the clothing drive.I had to learn how to better work with
people when trying to communicate with the rest of my group and with the people
of Salvation Army.I also had to
learn how to be flexible with my time and to work around the times that were
convenient for everyone else.I
have also been changed as a person by witnessing first-hand the need of the people
of Springfield.It is different
seeing things first-hand rather than just reading and hearing about it.This was the first time that I had done
a long term service project and I feel extremely invested in it.I was not just volunteering because I
had to for Summit, but looked forward to going, and put in extra effort every
week.I feel like I have become a
more aware and invested citizen, and also developed as a volunteer.I am going to miss volunteering at the
Salvation Army and planning on still volunteering there this summer and next
year.This year has been an
extremely rewarding experience and is one that I will remember and be able to
grow from.Working at the
Salvation Army has influenced me more than I can say, and I have been changed
because of this experience.The
people working there, my group, and the people receive the benefits of the Army
have made a mark on me that I will never forget.

"I am what I am because of other people and they are what they are because of me being
around."

-Author
Unknown

Go out and do good Drury
University,

Erica

Hello Everyone!

Wow, the end of the year has arrived.I still cannot believe it.We have accomplished so much this year
with The Salvation Army.We
organized a campus-wide spring cleaning drive at Drury benefiting The Salvation
Army.Through our project, we
collected over 800 items that were donated to The Salvation Army.We were so happy that our project was a
success and we feel we benefitted The Salvation Army in a very positive way.

In addition to our big project, we have been helping The
Salvation Army organize their food pantry weekly.Sometimes, they don’t receive many volunteers to help out at
the food pantry, so we felt really good about helping Betty (the lady in charge
of the food pantry) organize everything.She was always so grateful for our help!

Throughout my time at The Salvation Army, I have realized
many things about myself.One
thing I learned is I am not as grateful as I should be.I take so many things in my life for
granted like having food to eat and a nice house to live
in.There are so many people in
the Springfield community that do not have anything.I am such a fortunate person to be able to live the life I
live and especially receive the excellent education I do.I feel that this has changed me in a
positive way.I want to strive to
be less selfish, and donate my time or money to those in need whenever I
can.In addition, I have also
learned how much work it takes to run a non-profit organization.I truly respect those who work for
non-profits and I am even considering working for one someday myself.

Well, unfortunately it is time to say goodbye.I have loved my time with the Summit
Park Leadership Community and I feel have learned a lot during this past
year.I would encourage every Drury
student to apply to be a Summit Park member.The real-life experiences I have received through Summit
Park and The Salvation Army are irreplaceable and I am so glad I was a part of
it!

Sunday, April 15, 2012

I have learned many things about the Salvation Army since I have been volunteering this year.I had no idea how many great services the Salvation Army has to offer for those in need.After working at the Food Pantry, I have learned about the lives of homeless or unfortunate families and individuals.This definitely has been a tough job dealing with the hardships and heartbreaking stories told by those in need.It is so sad to see an individual person or family say that they used to be the ones volunteering and now they are the ones that qualify to receive food.This just shows me that at any given time a person or family could be in need.Sometimes some of the most unexpected things can happen.The Salvation Army’s mission states:

“The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”

I have learned to be thankful for what I have and to not take things for granted.I know that sometimes if the smallest things go wrong in my life, I think it is the end of the world, but working in the food pantry has taught me that my life could be much worse if I were in the situations that some of the people are in.The food pantry has taught me that sometimes doing the smallest things for someone can really impact their life.

I feel like I learned a lot from this volunteering experience.I believe that working with those in need will impact me in a positive way.I believe that there will always be people who are hungry in the Springfield community so volunteering at the food pantry has made me realize the need for help. I will work with underprivileged people everyday, while teaching at a rural school district, so this will help me throughout my entire life.I have really enjoyed volunteering at the Salvation Army and hope to continue to volunteer with this organization next year.Throughout my life I plan on volunteering with various organizations to give back to the community.

Stay classy Drury University,

Haleigh Brown

Hello again!

I have learned a lot about the life of a homeless or low income individual. I have learned a lot about these peoples’ lives because I have been working in The Salvation Army Food Pantry. I see tons of families and individuals who come through the Food Pantry once a week to receive the only food that will last them for the rest of the week. Seeing how grateful these individuals and families are makes me realize how blessed I am to have a secure home and an abundant supply of food. I have said before that I was “starving,” but I know that I have never truly been starved like some people have been. The mission of The Salvation Army is:

“The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”

The mission of The Salvation Army and what the Food Pantry does for the people living in the community are closely connected. The mission is to meet human needs in His name and the Food Pantry does this because they give people food, which is a basic human need.

This issue connects to me personally because I see low income individuals on a daily basis. A lot of these individuals live around campus. It also connects to me personally because I carry a large burden for families and individuals living in these unfortunate conditions. I wish that I could do more to help out these individuals, but I have realized that I do a lot for them whenever I volunteer once a week. Since I have been in college, I have realized how important it is to volunteer. I plan to continue to volunteer for the rest of my life and I plan on showing my own children how rewarding it is to volunteer and give back to the community. I have really enjoyed working with The Salvation Army and I hope that I will be able to volunteer in the Food Pantry next year as well.

Until next time,

Mariah Fulbright

Hey all!

Our blog question for this week is to reflect on what we have learned about the community issue that is tied to the Salvation Army’s mission.This is something that I have been thinking a lot about lately since we just finished up with our project of the semester.The Salvation Army’s mission is, “The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church.Its message is based on the Bible.Its ministry is motivated by the love of God.Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”Our year with The Salvation Army has been focused on the the “to meet human needs,” portion of the mission.I have really been able to see the benefit of the organization by working at the food pantry.Every week, I am still amazed that people are in such a need for something as simple as a bag of groceries.The people that are on the receiving end of the food pantry get so much joy from being able to see that they can get a bag full of groceries.I take the basic necessities of life for granted since I have never had to worry about not having enough food or shelter.It has been an eye opening experience to see just how many people in Springfield need some of these basic things.Having this knowledge made our service project so much more rewarding.In total, we collected 735 items in a little over two weeks for our clothing drive.This large amount of clothing is going to be so beneficial for the large amount of the population in Springfield that needs simple things like clothes and basic kitchen supplies.This year has been so rewarding and extremely eye opening to have learned more about The Salvation Army and the services that they provide.

-Erica

Hello again!

Throughout this year I feel that I have truly gained a better understanding about what The Salvation Army does for our community.I never realized how many people in need there are in the Springfield community until I began volunteering with The Salvation Army.I especially learned this by working at The Salvation Army’s food pantry.Weekly, people in need of food come to The Salvation Army seeking this basic need.I have truly realized how lucky I am.Sometimes I can be picky about what foods I eat and the people who come to The Salvation Army are thankful for any amount or type of food they are given.This definitely puts things into perspective for me and makes me realize that I should be thankful for every meal I get.Sometimes it can be hard to remember to do that.

Also, in the winter The Salvation Army opens up their doors to anyone who needs a place to get warm on those brutally cold winter days. I have literally seen their main lobby packed with people.I never knew not having a warm place to stay was a real issue in Springfield until now.I take the heat that is provided in my house for granted.Sometimes I get overly stressed and feel like I have had the worst day ever.Yet my problems are very simple.I have a warm house to stay at, plenty of food, a wonderful education, and family and friends who love me.I am so lucky.The Salvation Army has inspired me to be a better person and take the initiative to help those in need.

I can take this newfound knowledge and apply it to my everyday life as a Springfield citizen.I can learn to be more sympathetic to those who stand on street corners asking for money.I do not know their situation and I can do a better job of not judging them.Also, I can make sure I donate items such as clothes that I don’t want to The Salvation Army instead of throwing them away or giving them to a friend who does not have money problems.Lastly, I can be more giving during the holiday season.When we volunteered at The Salvation Army’s Christmas Shop, I was overwhelmed by the amount of parents who needed help providing gifts for their families during the holidays.It was definitely my most memorable Salvation Army experience and I am so lucky to have been able to help those people that day.I want to try to volunteer there every year during this program.I loved seeing the smiling faces of the parents who were so excited to have presents for their kids.

Overall, I am very thankful for my Salvation Army experience.I think it was an eye-opening experience for all of us!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

On Friday, February 17, our Summit Park Leadership Community met for the second class this semester.Our guest speaker was Ed Derr, a counselor from the Drury University Counseling Office.Ed Derr chose to speak with our class about communication and conflict resolution.He presented the idea to the class that sometimes we consider conflict a negative issue.He proved a point that conflict is not always a negative issue.When thinking about the conflict in a positive way, it often times helps us (the people involved) communicate and understand each other on a better level.I know that friends or relationships can never have a perfect relationship, because no two people can get a long all the time.A person has to understand others opinions and learn to respect them without causing conflict.Ed Derr shared with our class several handouts, which include “9 Healthy Ways to Communicate,” an example worksheet to fill out previous examples of conflicts, and a What’s Your Conflict Management Style.The What’s Your Conflict Management Style worksheet allowed us to figure out which animal we each are.This was a great game, because based off of our score of how well we manage our conflicts.My dominant style was the Accommodating Teddy Bear and my back-up style was the Collaborating Owl.

I believe that my greatest communication strength is that I always share my opinion with others.I think that the key component to communication is sharing and working out your emotions.I think that my weakness in communication is that I always try to make others happy.I always try to put others first.To better the communication with my Summit Group, I think that it would be better to schedule more time throughout the week to meet and discuss ideas for our project.I want everyone in our group to express and share their own ideas, because I think that is what will make our project successful and unique.I believe that the tips Ed Derr covered about communication will help me to become a better leader.Overall, I thought that this class period was extremely helpful when considering communication and conflict resolution.

We are still continuing to volunteer weekly at the Salvation Army in the Food Pantry.We all really enjoy helping out those in need and it is extremely rewarding.The friendships that we have built with the other volunteers at the Salvation Army are wonderful.As for our project, we are in the process of getting the word out about our clothing drive that will be held the week after spring break.Everything seems to be falling into place and we are really getting excited about helping the Salvation Army!

Stay classy Drury University,

Haleigh Brown

Hello there!

On February 17th, we had a guest speaker come in and talk to us during Summit class. This guest speaker was Ed Derr. Ed Derr is the Director of Counseling at Drury University. Ed talked to us about conflicts and gave several scenarios that helped us better understand how to handle different situations that we may come across in our lifetime. Ed explained that there will be conflicts that we will come across throughout our entire life. He gave us several useful tips on how to handle different situations and he also explained that everyone’s personality is different. We all handle situations differently based on our personality type. He used animals to explain what he means by this. I was a teddy bear, which means that I like to please others and resolve conflicts. I really enjoyed the presentation that Ed gave because he had us acting out different scenarios and working through them. This was helpful because I do like to resolve conflicts, so this was helpful advice.

My greatest communication strength is that I am someone who is really easy to talk to. I enjoy listening to people’s problems and giving them advice to the best of my ability. I feel that I am an approachable person and people feel that they can come to talk to me about anything. One of my communication weaknesses would be that I have a hard time thinking that all conflicts are a negative thing. Ed was great at explaining that conflicts were not always a negative thing because it sometimes betters the relationships around us. I think that I can better communicate with my Summit team by sitting down and talking more about our project. We all like to hang out a lot, but I feel that we do not sit down enough to discuss the details about our project this semester. I could communicate to my teammates that I want to sit down and talk about the project. I can improve how I handle and resolve conflict by going to the person almost immediately if something were to come up. If I am upset by something that someone in my group did or if I want to let them know how I feel about a particular thing, I need to go directly to them as soon as the conflict comes up. This is an important thing to do when a conflict comes up because if time goes by, it does not seem as important anymore.

Until next time,

Mariah Fulbright

Hey all!

This past Friday, February 17, we meet as a Summit Park class.Our guest speaker this week was Ed Derr from the counseling office, and he spoke to us on the value of conflict resolution.To me, dealing with conflict the proper way is a daily struggle that we all have to go through.Conflict presents itself in our lives in many different ways, from the small petty fights that we get in, to the big conflicts that take time to resolve.I took a lot out of listening to Ed speak about this because I know that it is something that I need to work on.I think it is important to step back and reflect on a conflict after it happens to reevaluate the situation and how to handle it.I am really bad about avoiding conflict whenever I possibly can.If I think that a conflict is going to arise I tend to give the other person what they want to prevent them from getting upset at me.I realize that this is not always the proper way to handle conflict, and that having conflict in my life can be healthy.During the “What Animal are You?” activity that we did during class I learned that I am primarily a teddy bear personality when it comes to conflict.I am the loser while the other person is the winner.To improve my leadership abilities I could work more on compromise rather than you take all and I will take nothing.If I focus on this, I will feel like I am getting more accomplished and keeping the other person happy at the same time.We also talked a little bit about communication during the class.I think that communication is key to getting things done, and building a relationship with someone.If you have poor communication it is going to be very difficult to make any progress on a project or make plans with other people.My greatest communication strength would be my ability to communicate on a timely manner and make sure that someone gets all of the information that they need to know.I would say that my greatest weakness when it comes to communication would probably be not standing up for my ideas if someone puts them down, of claims that their ideas are better.I think that in order to better communicate with my Summit Group I should try to schedule more organized meetings so that I know that all of the members are getting the same information at the same time and that everyone is on the same page.I got a lot out of class Friday, and am glad that I got the opportunity to reflect more on my communication skills and my conflict resolution.

I also wanted to give a brief update on how our project is going this month!We have all been going to the Salvation Army on Wednesdays to help out in the food pantry and in the office.I am hoping that in the next few weeks Katie will be able to join us in the food pantry! And we have started to get the dates planned for our big clothing drive that is coming up later this spring! This semester is looking promising!

Until next time

-Erica

Hello again!

Everything is going well with our Salvation Army project.We are each going once a week to help out! I have been working mainly in the business office but soon I am going to start working at the food pantry with the other girls.We are also planning a “Spring Cleaning” event for the Drury Campus.We want people to clean out their rooms over spring break and bring all of their unwanted items back to campus to donate to the Salvation Army.We are really excited about our project and hope it is a success!

I really enjoyed our speaker during class on February 17th.I like the point he made about how we all perceive conflict to be a bad thing, but it doesn’t have to be seen that way.I agree with what he said about how conflict can be imagined.I feel that this happens to me sometimes.When someone is having a bad day it can be easy to think they are upset with you, when they truly aren’t.I also enjoyed learning about how I personally handle conflict.We took a mini-quiz and I am an Accommodating Teddy Bear and a Compromising Fox.I thought this was pretty true to how I really am, so it was a fun experience!

Overall, I feel my best communication strength is compromising.I am usually willing to come to a decision that makes everyone happy and that is what I strive to do when dealing with conflicts.My weakness is that I don’t always confront someone when I am upset with them.I tend to just think that I am being overly sensitive and I just keep it in.This not a good thing because sometimes it causes me to hold grudges which makes it hard to move on.I can better communicate with my Summit group by making sure we are all on the same page by talking weekly about our project.In order to be a better leader in general, I can find constructive ways to tell others how I am feeling and what is causing me to be frustrated.For example, if not one volunteers to help and it upsets me I can find an appropriate way to explain how I am feeling to others instead of just keeping it inside.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Our first meeting for Summit Park class was on the night on January 27th.During this class period we had a guest speaker from Drury University’s counseling center.The guest speaker did a presentation about communicating with others.I learned some helpful tips in order to become a better listener.I know that sometimes working in the Food Pantry at the Salvation Army can be difficult at certain times, but these helpful tips will allow me to better my communication skills. I also learned to paraphrase a story or something that a person is telling me to show the other person that I am actively listening and engaged in our conversation.I am an elementary education major and I believe that the tips that the guest speaker will be extremely important when I begin teaching.I know that I will use some of the skills that I learned in Summit Park class.

I believe that during this class period it really made me aware of other’s feelings or beliefs. We played cross the line, which is a game that helps people communicate with others without using words.I can definitely say that I learned some information and facts about other individuals in the Summit Park Community that I did not know.I felt as if this class was a bonding experience for the entire class.This has been my favorite Summit Park class thus far.

My group works with the Salvation Army.The mission statement for the Salvation Army includes:

“The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”

Other information about the Salvation Army can be found at:

http://www.usc.salvationarmy.org/springfield-mo

Stay classy Drury University,

Haleigh Brown

On January 27th, we had a guest speaker from Drury who came to talk with us about making connections and diversity. I thoroughly enjoyed the class presentation on making connections and diversity. I strongly believe that in order to be successful in life, you have to be able to make connections with people and it is also important to be a good listener. I also enjoyed this class presentation because of the “Cross the Line” game that we played. I felt that I really got to know more about some of the people who I live with in the Summit Park Leadership Community. The handout “35 Dumb Things that Well-Intended People Say” was the most valuable thing that I got out of this presentation. I feel this way because I looked at the handout and realized that I have said quite a few of the phrases listed on there. I did not realize that what I have said before could have been taken offensively or that it was not appropriate to say some of those phrases that are listed. This is helpful because I would hate to be in the workforce and say one of those phrases that would offend one of my co-workers or even my boss. The handout could even be useful now while I am working at The Salvation Army because I deal with different people from time to time when I am working in the Food Pantry. This class presentation is my favorite that we have had so far. It was extremely beneficial because I gained several great tips for being a better listener.

We work with The Salvation Army and its mission is the following:

“The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”

Information about The Salvation Army can be found at the following website:

http://www.usc.salvationarmy.org/springfield-mo

Until next time!

Mariah Fulbright

This past Friday we meet as a Summit class and had a guest speaker talk to us about how to better communicate and make connections with people that may be different from us.I gained a lot from listening to her talk, and by doing the activities in class. I think that communication is one of the most important skills to have, no matter what career path you may choose.I am wanting to go into the medical field one day, which is going to require an incredible amount of communication on my part.I am going to have to be able to listen to people and clearly understand what they are trying to convey to me, I am then going to have to communicate to other nurses and doctors what needs to be done for the patient in order for them to get the treatment that they need.One of the activities that we had in class was to listen to someone talk about a hard situation they have been going through and then we were to ask specific questions to make sure that we fully understood what they were trying to say and to also find out how they were feeling.I will be able to use this exercise in the future to make sure that I am communicating efficiently with my patients.Another topic that we addressed in class was how to better work with people that are different than you are. We learned that you might not always know what is going on in their life or what situations they have been through.I think this is something that everyone over looks at some point or another.It is easy to look at someone that may have done something bad, and judge them for it.I know that I am guilty of this without even realizing it.I think that listening to the speaker was a good eye opener, and made me think about how I need to stop and think before I judge someone.This will be applicable when I am working at the Salvation Army.Sometimes when we work in the food pantry there are men that are working there as part of the program with the Harbor House (a mens shelter.)It is easy to think that they must have done something bad to get into that situation, but that is not always the case.I definitely enjoyed this class and look forward to our next speaker!

-Erica

Hello again! I am one of the members of the Salvation Army Summit Park Group.According to their website, the Salvation Army’s mission is, “an international movement is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”The Salvation Army provides food to the needy, shelters for the homeless, toys for parents in need during the holidays, thrift shops, worship services, child care and many more services for those in need.The Salvation Army always needs many volunteers during the Christmas season for their annual bell-ringing event, as well as people to help at their Christmas Toy Shop.If you would like to volunteer year round, helping with the food pantry or after school program are two great opportunities to help out the Salvation Army!

During our Summit Class on January 27th, we had a speaker from the counseling center come and speak to us about connecting with others who appear to be very different from ourselves.Sometimes it can be hard to relate to other people, but I learned from this speaker that we are all human.We can all relate to feeling happy, sad, mad, or frustrated.Some people have very large, very serious problems in their lives while others may appear to have very simple issues.

During Winter Break, three of us worked at The Salvation Army’s Christmas Shop.Parents who could not afford toys for their parents came and could “shop” for their children for free.We had direct interaction with these individuals and at times it seemed hard to relate.As an only child, my parents have always gone “all out” on me for Christmas.Seeing these moms and dads get so excited about being able to give their children TWO presents, really puts things in perspective.After listening to the speaker, I have realized that the parents at the Christmas shop are not completely unlike me.They have had happy moments, sad moments, angry moments, and everything in-between.Every human being can relate on that level.Now that I realize this very simple idea, I feel next year when I go back to work at the Christmas Shop, it will be easier to talk to the parents and really make them feel comfortable.